I opted for the cave tubing and trek in Belize because I was so afraid of the long duration. You convinced me to put in on my bucket list for next time. 🙂
It looks so beautiful! I have a question. Is there any part where you HAVE to swim ? I cannot swim but wanna do this excursion. Would I need to learn before I go or would I be able to walk it all through?
The hike is not long at all like a traditional hike and is all flat. But the hardest thing will be wading through the water because you can't see the rocks sometimes. I banged my knee once and scraped up my leg a little but that's because I was trying to film hahaha. With a finicky ankle you'll have to be careful that you don't step on a rock wrong and twist it. Fortunately everyone in the group will be going really slow so I think if you take your time you'll be ok.
Thanks for posting this video. I'm thinking of booking this shore excursion and this was very helpful. It looks like fun. I am not a strong swimmer. I need a life jacket to help me move through deep water. The Royal Caribbean description mentions life jackets but I don't see any life jackets in this video. Are they available for guests that want them?
I apologize for not mentioning it! Yes, life jackets are available for free at the site before the “hike” starts. Thanks for your comment and question!
I don’t think so and can’t think of any reason why weight would matter. It’s probably safe to book and then you can ask the excursion desk on the ship and get a refund if theres actually a restriction (make sure to do this at least 48 hrs before port arrival) - but I highly doubt that will happen….
Yeah that's their professional photographer. He shows you the pictures at the end at the base camp on his laptop and you can decide to buy them or not. I think it's around $25-30 per couple or group. Cash only.
Few other questions… 1. Are water shoes provided if you’re walking on top of rocks and all that? 2. Are phone pouches allowed? Like the ones where you wear around your neck and so your phone is protected from the water
Thank you so much for the review and all of the replies to the questions in the comment thread. Literally all but ONE of my questions was answered because of it! We are booked for this excursion at the end of May and I am so excited! My only question (and it’s kind of silly) is do you know if we can bring our own water shoes?
Thanks for watching and your comment! Ooo, you stumped me! I had to ask my wife just now but she said yes you can bring your own water shoes (I didn't know that!). Just make sure they have good grip.
There’s bathrooms you can change in before and after. For the photos, they accepted cash but didn’t accept credit cards. They did accept PayPal but said they wouldn’t send the email with photos until the payment cleared, so it wouldn’tve been instant. FWIW I didn’t buy the photos.
Where do you leave your passport and credit cards when you go down to the cave? I am about to book this excursion for my family. Thank you for the review. 😀
Great question. First, you don’t need to bring your passport off the ship. I did but it wasn’t necessary to get off or on the ship. Only need your SeaPass card. You can leave everything on the bus like your phone, credit cards, and change of clothes and towels. The driver locks the bus during your tour and doesn’t go anywhere. It’s safe.
Do you have to swim into any inclosed caves underwater in order to make it through the cave or just have the option to go underwater and look at caves near the end? (Shown around the 9 minute mark)
Thank you for this video. Was there no issue with you taking your GoPro with you? I'll be doing this excursion in a few days and wanted to bring an Insta360 to capture the event, but outside of your video, all the others say they had to leave everything behind in the lockers.
You can use a Insta360 but they won’t let you hold it in your hand when you’re walking through the caves because they want you to have 2 hands free in case you trip and fall. They also don’t want you to knock over a stalagmite when holding up a camera. So to film while walking you’ll need to have a head mount or chest mount or if it’s on a selfie stick then wedge it between your life vest or gf/wife’s chest (not even kidding lol). You get the idea. Definitely bring it - worst case you have to stuff it in your pocket or leave it on the bus with your other belongings. Remember they sell GoPros and similar cameras all over the ship exactly for excursions like this.
Thank you for the very detailed video. I'm Korean, and I'm boarding the Royal Caribbean Cruise Symphony next week. I applied for this excursion and I have a question. 1. I am not good at listening to English. If I do not understand English well during this tour, will there be any problems with this excursion? 2. My dad can't swim at all, but his height is about 176. Any problems with the tour? 3. Does the guide go together from start to finish?
1. There should be no problem as long as you just follow and pay attention to what everyone else is doing. For example there are some parts where they want you to turn your headlight off so he'll say "lights off" so everyone can enjoy the dark and silence. When there is a difficult part with the ground he might say "step up" or "step down" while guiding your hand. You won't need to pay attention to the stories and explanations but just be careful when walking/swimming around. Safety is the most important thing. 2. Your dad will definitely need a life jacket. It is offered but not required for those who can swim (it's free). Since he can't swim get the life jacket from the camp before the hike starts. The water level will depend on the time of the year. There were only 2 parts we had to swim where your feet won't touch the ground: Once @6:49 which I thought was the hardest part (because I was trying to film and keep my arm above water) and at the end of cenote/pool @8:00 there are some deep spots. His height is fine. 3. We met at the ship theater at 6:45am, this included all excursions. Then everyone gets off the ship. I don't remember if there's a guide but it'll be a huge group walking to the ferry. Just follow them. When you get off ferry there will be a guide with a sign for your excursion. Gather with him/her and they will take you to the caves. There are 2 guides with you in the caves at all time.
Nothing wrong with booking a private tour, but with booking through RC you get the peace of mind that you'll make it back to the ship on time (ie., it won't leave without you) and you will get a full refund if it's cancelled due to weather or anything like that.
Thanks so much for an informative video. I do have a couple questions.... 1. Are wetsuits provided for free if we're afraid of the water temps? 2. There was one part where you were exploring underwater. Do we need to bring goggles or anything like that if we wanted to see? 3. I saw you mentioned it's around 1.5-2 hours in the cave. How long do you actually get for just swimming around in the group like a somewhat leisure time in the caves? 4. If my cruise is there from 8am to 7pm and the excursion is 8:30am, i'm guessing it's there is a lot of hours to spend in Playa de Carmen. Are we able to leave the group and go back to Cozumel or the ship during that time or do we need to stick with the tour group for all the time in Playa del Carmen?
1. Yes 2. Thats the swimming portion probably. I think you can bring goggles but theyll need to be in your pocket during the walk (hands have to be free). 3. Swimming at the end was at least 30 min. 4. Nobody in our group split off like that, but you might be able to arrange that with the guide. Ask the excursion desk on the cruise, they should know. Logistically it's 100% possible and easy because there are ferries like every 30 minutes. I just dont know if the guide would let you.
Thank you so much for posting this! One question that I had, my girlfriend is not a strong swimmer (i’ve been giving her lessons but she still can’t swim by herself for more than about a minute). I know there are life jackets provided, but are there any portions that require you to be swimming in water deeper than you can stand in?
There are definitely portions that are deeper than you can stand in, including the pool at the end. But that's what a life jacket is for, unless I misunderstood you. thanks for watching!
Thank you! Yes, a professional was there to take photos inside the cave of each group or couple. At the end he showed them to us on a computer and offered to email them to us for $30.
Going on this in a few months. How did you do the hands free GoPro? From lessons learned, would you do it a different way than the way you did it?? Do they allow a Bikini to be worn?
Hello, you mentioned that the excursion is around two hours, of those two hours what's the actual time inside the underground river? Also, in the excursions description, it says it includes boxed lunch. What do they give you?
1.5-2 hours in the cave/underground river, probably from about from 10:30am to 12/12:30pm. The rest of the time is travel time and free time. The boxed lunch back on the campground was really bad. Probably my biggest complaint. A bottle of water, nutrigrain bar, and an unappetizing ham/cheese sandwich.
Slightly warm for Americans and freezing for Mexicans, the guides said hahaha. I'd say it was on the cool side but not uncomfortable. It all depends on the season. I went in December which is colder. I imagine in the summer it's lovely.
@@jr.sciencebros.8411 Thank you i appreciate the quick response. We are going in May and i really wanted to book this but i cannot handle cold water. I will now be booking, so excited
I believe Rio Secreto is a different company. There was nothing branded as Rio Secreto on this excursion which leads me to believe Royal Caribbean hires its own tour company/people. I think they used to use Rio Secreto.
I opted for the cave tubing and trek in Belize because I was so afraid of the long duration. You convinced me to put in on my bucket list for next time. 🙂
It looks so beautiful! I have a question. Is there any part where you HAVE to swim ? I cannot swim but wanna do this excursion. Would I need to learn before I go or would I be able to walk it all through?
I was leaning towards this because I always wanted to go in the cenotes but royal has zero reviews. Your video made me book it immediately
yoooooooo guys thanks sooo much im the guide in that beautiful office the crystal caves THANKS FOR THE VIDEO.....
Wow!!! Thank you for watching this! You're a celebrity!!! Hope all is well with you.
@@jr.sciencebros.8411 LOVELY....THANKS SOOO MUCH MY NAME IS BOSH.
@@jr.sciencebros.8411do you know what tour company it was
Thank you for this video!!!! You helped me to officially book this excursion! Can’t wait for my trip in September 😊😊
How did you do with the cell phone? Is there somewhere you can store it? I will be going there in October.
How hard is the hike (asking for a somewhat fit person with a finicky ankle)?
The hike is not long at all like a traditional hike and is all flat. But the hardest thing will be wading through the water because you can't see the rocks sometimes. I banged my knee once and scraped up my leg a little but that's because I was trying to film hahaha. With a finicky ankle you'll have to be careful that you don't step on a rock wrong and twist it. Fortunately everyone in the group will be going really slow so I think if you take your time you'll be ok.
Thanks for posting this video. I'm thinking of booking this shore excursion and this was very helpful. It looks like fun. I am not a strong swimmer. I need a life jacket to help me move through deep water. The Royal Caribbean description mentions life jackets but I don't see any life jackets in this video. Are they available for guests that want them?
I apologize for not mentioning it! Yes, life jackets are available for free at the site before the “hike” starts. Thanks for your comment and question!
Is there a weight restriction? I don’t see one on royal carribean website but on other websites I see one.
I don’t think so and can’t think of any reason why weight would matter. It’s probably safe to book and then you can ask the excursion desk on the ship and get a refund if theres actually a restriction (make sure to do this at least 48 hrs before port arrival) - but I highly doubt that will happen….
I do have a silly question … I saw a guy taking pictures are those part of the excursion? Do you have to pay for them?
Yeah that's their professional photographer. He shows you the pictures at the end at the base camp on his laptop and you can decide to buy them or not. I think it's around $25-30 per couple or group. Cash only.
@@jr.sciencebros.8411 thank you so much!!
Few other questions…
1. Are water shoes provided if you’re walking on top of rocks and all that?
2. Are phone pouches allowed? Like the ones where you wear around your neck and so your phone is protected from the water
1. Yes water shoes are provided. Required, in fact.
2. Phone pouches are allowed!
This is almost $200 now amazing how much this have went up. Im planning on going next week!!🎉
Thank you so much for the review and all of the replies to the questions in the comment thread. Literally all but ONE of my questions was answered because of it! We are booked for this excursion at the end of May and I am so excited! My only question (and it’s kind of silly) is do you know if we can bring our own water shoes?
Thanks for watching and your comment! Ooo, you stumped me! I had to ask my wife just now but she said yes you can bring your own water shoes (I didn't know that!). Just make sure they have good grip.
YESSSSS I WORK THERE YES YOU CAN BRING YOUR OWN SHOES.....
Where the pictures cash only or could you use a credit card? Also did they have a place to change clothes after the caves?
There’s bathrooms you can change in before and after. For the photos, they accepted cash but didn’t accept credit cards. They did accept PayPal but said they wouldn’t send the email with photos until the payment cleared, so it wouldn’tve been instant. FWIW I didn’t buy the photos.
Did you have to pay for lockers or where did you keep your stuff?
Do they provide life jackets for kids?
Where do you leave your passport and credit cards when you go down to the cave? I am about to book this excursion for my family. Thank you for the review. 😀
Great question. First, you don’t need to bring your passport off the ship. I did but it wasn’t necessary to get off or on the ship. Only need your SeaPass card. You can leave everything on the bus like your phone, credit cards, and change of clothes and towels. The driver locks the bus during your tour and doesn’t go anywhere. It’s safe.
@@jr.sciencebros.8411 Thank you very much 😊
Do you have to swim into any inclosed caves underwater in order to make it through the cave or just have the option to go underwater and look at caves near the end? (Shown around the 9 minute mark)
No, you never have to swim underwater to make it through the hike.
Thank you for this video. Was there no issue with you taking your GoPro with you? I'll be doing this excursion in a few days and wanted to bring an Insta360 to capture the event, but outside of your video, all the others say they had to leave everything behind in the lockers.
You can use a Insta360 but they won’t let you hold it in your hand when you’re walking through the caves because they want you to have 2 hands free in case you trip and fall. They also don’t want you to knock over a stalagmite when holding up a camera. So to film while walking you’ll need to have a head mount or chest mount or if it’s on a selfie stick then wedge it between your life vest or gf/wife’s chest (not even kidding lol). You get the idea. Definitely bring it - worst case you have to stuff it in your pocket or leave it on the bus with your other belongings. Remember they sell GoPros and similar cameras all over the ship exactly for excursions like this.
Thank you for the very detailed video.
I'm Korean, and I'm boarding the Royal Caribbean Cruise Symphony next week.
I applied for this excursion and I have a question.
1. I am not good at listening to English. If I do not understand English well during this tour, will there be any problems with this excursion?
2. My dad can't swim at all, but his height is about 176. Any problems with the tour?
3. Does the guide go together from start to finish?
1. There should be no problem as long as you just follow and pay attention to what everyone else is doing. For example there are some parts where they want you to turn your headlight off so he'll say "lights off" so everyone can enjoy the dark and silence. When there is a difficult part with the ground he might say "step up" or "step down" while guiding your hand. You won't need to pay attention to the stories and explanations but just be careful when walking/swimming around. Safety is the most important thing.
2. Your dad will definitely need a life jacket. It is offered but not required for those who can swim (it's free). Since he can't swim get the life jacket from the camp before the hike starts. The water level will depend on the time of the year. There were only 2 parts we had to swim where your feet won't touch the ground: Once @6:49 which I thought was the hardest part (because I was trying to film and keep my arm above water) and at the end of cenote/pool @8:00 there are some deep spots. His height is fine.
3. We met at the ship theater at 6:45am, this included all excursions. Then everyone gets off the ship. I don't remember if there's a guide but it'll be a huge group walking to the ferry. Just follow them. When you get off ferry there will be a guide with a sign for your excursion. Gather with him/her and they will take you to the caves. There are 2 guides with you in the caves at all time.
@@jr.sciencebros.8411 Thank you so much for the detailed answer. Thanks to that, a lot of my worries are gone.☺
NO PROBLEM WE SPEAK FRANCH ITALIAN SPANISH AND ENGLISH.....
Do you recommend booking from Royal carabian or private touring group?
Nothing wrong with booking a private tour, but with booking through RC you get the peace of mind that you'll make it back to the ship on time (ie., it won't leave without you) and you will get a full refund if it's cancelled due to weather or anything like that.
Thanks so much for an informative video. I do have a couple questions....
1. Are wetsuits provided for free if we're afraid of the water temps?
2. There was one part where you were exploring underwater. Do we need to bring goggles or anything like that if we wanted to see?
3. I saw you mentioned it's around 1.5-2 hours in the cave. How long do you actually get for just swimming around in the group like a somewhat leisure time in the caves?
4. If my cruise is there from 8am to 7pm and the excursion is 8:30am, i'm guessing it's there is a lot of hours to spend in Playa de Carmen. Are we able to leave the group and go back to Cozumel or the ship during that time or do we need to stick with the tour group for all the time in Playa del Carmen?
1. Yes
2. Thats the swimming portion probably. I think you can bring goggles but theyll need to be in your pocket during the walk (hands have to be free).
3. Swimming at the end was at least 30 min.
4. Nobody in our group split off like that, but you might be able to arrange that with the guide. Ask the excursion desk on the cruise, they should know. Logistically it's 100% possible and easy because there are ferries like every 30 minutes. I just dont know if the guide would let you.
Good review, looks like fun.
Thank you so much for posting this! One question that I had, my girlfriend is not a strong swimmer (i’ve been giving her lessons but she still can’t swim by herself for more than about a minute). I know there are life jackets provided, but are there any portions that require you to be swimming in water deeper than you can stand in?
There are definitely portions that are deeper than you can stand in, including the pool at the end. But that's what a life jacket is for, unless I misunderstood you. thanks for watching!
I WORK THERE NO PROBLEM WITH SWIMING SKILLS FAMILY
So how cold is that water???
Great review! Thank you for sharing! Did they have professionals there to take pictures for you?
Thank you! Yes, a professional was there to take photos inside the cave of each group or couple. At the end he showed them to us on a computer and offered to email them to us for $30.
Going on this in a few months. How did you do the hands free GoPro? From lessons learned, would you do it a different way than the way you did it?? Do they allow a Bikini to be worn?
Hands free GoPro can be done with a head strap. Bikinis are allowed. No I don't think I would've done anything differently.
Hello, you mentioned that the excursion is around two hours, of those two hours what's the actual time inside the underground river? Also, in the excursions description, it says it includes boxed lunch. What do they give you?
1.5-2 hours in the cave/underground river, probably from about from 10:30am to 12/12:30pm. The rest of the time is travel time and free time. The boxed lunch back on the campground was really bad. Probably my biggest complaint. A bottle of water, nutrigrain bar, and an unappetizing ham/cheese sandwich.
We thought about going on this excursion, but our time in Cozumel got cut short so we stayed on the island.
Bummer! Hope you still had a great time there. I personally like the Ron Jon store, even if the cruise line doesn’t endorse it haha.
@@jr.sciencebros.8411 Funny, we are going on an "excursion" at Coco Beach that drops you off at Ron Jon.
Thanks for the video
how deep is the water?
What was the water temp?
Slightly warm for Americans and freezing for Mexicans, the guides said hahaha. I'd say it was on the cool side but not uncomfortable. It all depends on the season. I went in December which is colder. I imagine in the summer it's lovely.
@@jr.sciencebros.8411 Thank you i appreciate the quick response. We are going in May and i really wanted to book this but i cannot handle cold water. I will now be booking, so excited
Is it called Rio Secreto?
I believe Rio Secreto is a different company. There was nothing branded as Rio Secreto on this excursion which leads me to believe Royal Caribbean hires its own tour company/people. I think they used to use Rio Secreto.
Thanks for info appreciate it.